Does anyone live out in the boonies?

[finy]

I'm heading back to CM again, but in the few years I've probably spent there it's always been inside the moat.

Eventually I would like to find a house outside town, but I was wondering what it's like to live 5-10km away from everything.

Also, does anyone have recommendations for good areas? I wouldn't mind being too far away from 700 YS for the pool.

I would also like one with trees in the garden to hang sports equipment and a hammock from, but I guess it's just a matter of looking at them all.

[taotoo]

If you have a car then it's great. For areas, I would just look around and see what looks good for you.

[pgrahmm]

That's the only way to go if the heartbeat of the city isn't your heaven.....

We're out off of Canal Rd but can be in the city usually within 1/2 hour ....

Best of both worlds on tap.....

If you're on your own & want to party just grab a room in town every once in awhile & party hearty - find your way home the next day.....

[elgordo38]

Been there done that no thanks

[BuaBS]

Eventually I would like to find a house outside town, but I was wondering what it's like to live 5-10km away from everything.

Out in the real boonies in Thailand means narrower and narrower "roads" , mud roads , nowhere to turn your car around , bushes and branches and rocks scratching against your car. So much fun !!

Best way is like the poor locals in the boonies : motorsai !

Then there is no power , or power cuts , no water ...or your own well . Internet & phone >> 3g if you're lucky.

[villagefarang]

I am very happy living 55 km east of Chiang Rai in an area called Phayamengrai. Then again I was also happy living in Bangkok for 30 years before moving here. Power, water, internet and phone are all great. I have beautiful surroundings and good roads for driving or riding my bike and trails for my mountain bike.

In my area I find you have to look really hard to find a place which you would call the real boonies. Chances are anything that remote would not be inhabited by Thais anyway as they prefer a different lifestyle to tribal people.

5 or 10 km from Chiang Mai is no where near being in the boonies in my opinion.

[CMKiwi]

I'm 16km out and to some that is the boonies. ... but not for me. It's just a bit separated from all the riff raff in town!

[JaseTheBass]

I lived out at Sankampaeng in a nice house. It was great for my son but sucked for me as my office is in Nimman and the commute was awful. Also, apart from Promenada there were no trappings of the civilised world (pubs, decent restaurants), so we moved down the road from work and life is much, much better.

[Stray]

Does anyone live out in the boonies? Yes, over 20kms from the nearest village.

Do I like it? Yes, can do my own thing, at my own pace, when I want.

Would you like it? How would I know? Someone else cannot tell you what you will like, or dislike.

Life is about living and experience. The choice is yours. Stay at home and read about it on the internet or, get out and experience it!

[malt25]

I lived in San Sai for about 6 months, loved it. Only about 10 minutes drive to Rimping & about 20 minutes to CM proper.

San Sai has some great estates, quiet, tree lined Sois.

The "Boonies" are different things to different people. Some think San Sai is the Boonies, others the Boonies only exist if you are kilometers from your nearest neighbor.

Home for me is about 25 km west of Sakon Nakhon, right on the main highway. Only about 25 minutes drive from all the conveniences of the city. Not the Boonies in my opinion.

Have a look at https://www.facebook.com/search/113131045379757/places-in/124887510918208/places/intersect/ might assist in finding a pool.

Cheers..... Mal.

[wabothai]

you may look at the dan sai area, nit noi boonies, and take over my beautiful place with lots of trees.

[chicowoodduck]

I tried my best to live out on the sticks, but could only manage a week or two before going crazy!! ?

[Rimbuman]

I lived in San Sai for about 6 months, loved it. Only about 10 minutes drive to Rimping & about 20 minutes to CM proper.

San Sai has some great estates, quiet, tree lined Sois.

The "Boonies" are different things to different people. Some think San Sai is the Boonies, others the Boonies only exist if you are kilometers from your nearest neighbor.

Home for me is about 25 km west of Sakon Nakhon, right on the main highway. Only about 25 minutes drive from all the conveniences of the city. Not the Boonies in my opinion.

Have a look at https://www.facebook.com/search/113131045379757/places-in/124887510918208/places/intersect/ might assist in finding a pool.

Cheers..... Mal.

Indeed, San Sai is very nice.

[junglechef]

Live in and love San Sai!

It's a big place (256 sq/km) so a bit hard to just drive around and check out esp. as one of the hidden nooks and crannies might be just what your looking for.

I'm 35 min from old city so not bad but also I don't need to go in daily nor do I care to partake in evening activities very often.

Definitely the best of both worlds for me, close enough for an afternoon of shopping and lunch and Central Festival is only half way to town for those mall needs.

So quiet and rural it satisfies why I moved to Thailand.

[thaiguzzi]

Yeah, me. And i would'nt have it any other way. I like wide open spaces, and i don't like having neighbors.

[northernphil]

Are the boonies similar to the styx , an Aussie mate of mine says I live out in woop-woop ?

[malt25]

Are the boonies similar to the styx , an Aussie mate of mine says I live out in woop-woop ?

Yep, ya mate is spot on. Boonies, sticks, back of beyond, out bush, beyond the black stump, Nakon Nowhere, out in the mulga, all the same.

Probably a 6 pack trip to visit ya closest neighbor.

[tharae]

Are the boonies similar to the styx , an Aussie mate of mine says I live out in woop-woop ?

Your Aussie mate is obviously a West Aussie. There was indeed a place named Woop Woop. It was a mill town southeast of Perth that came into existence in 1925, before being abandoned and sold for scrap in 1984.

[pgrahmm]

Depends on what you call boonies....You could be a flatlander or be rubbing elbows with the hill tribes.....

We used to live out in Doi Lo....About 28k out = a little too far......108 was the only practical way to CM with traffic & bottle necks it could up to 2 hours to CM to shop....The other way to Chom Thom was a 30k straight shot with limited shopping/dining/socializing possibilities including a marginally

sized Tesco/Lotus......

It was nice and quiet - REALLY REALLY Quiet.....A little too much so....When I drive that leg of 108 now I wonder how in the hll I managed that drive & traffic 2-3-4 times a week......

Being about 8-10k out is just about right for us.....

[northernphil]

Are the boonies similar to the styx , an Aussie mate of mine says I live out in woop-woop ?

Your Aussie mate is obviously a West Aussie. There was indeed a place named Woop Woop. It was a mill town southeast of Perth that came into existence in 1925, before being abandoned and sold for scrap in 1984.

Nup , he is from Brizzy . gr8 bloke and called Bruce ! He lives closer to Woop Woop then I do , but we both live 5mins from town. When I worked for Australian Aerial Mapping based in Perth in 1971 the North West where we worked around Mt. Tom Price and Dampier was refereed to by AAM as ' The big heat '.

[gyrosman]

you never spent time in a normal village in Issan, the roosters at 2am, stray dogs, THAI'S music at 160 db all night drinking, the flies, mosquito, snakes, rats, and a pool near by only when there is water left over for the the Thai toilet and trash cans to enjoy a nice cool wash in the morning. And then beer time drinking Leo at 35c because they turn off refer each night.

Thailand is the Boonies, you need to do a walkabout even in Bangkok, its listed as a city with all the pleasures of the BOONIES.

GOOD LUCK

[Stray]

you never spent time in a normal village in Issan, the roosters at 2am, stray dogs, THAI'S music at 160 db all night drinking, the flies, mosquito, snakes, rats, and a pool near by only when there is water left over for the the Thai toilet and trash cans to enjoy a nice cool wash in the morning. And then beer time drinking Leo at 35c because they turn off refer each night.

Thailand is the Boonies, you need to do a walkabout even in Bangkok, its listed as a city with all the pleasures of the BOONIES.

GOOD LUCK

Being in a village isn't being in the boonies.

[ozyjon]

but I was wondering what it's like to live 5-10km away from everything

That's like walking across the road for me, try 20 - 40km away from everything

I'd like to quote BuaBS post number 5 and add to it

............................................................................................................................................

Out in the real boonies in Thailand means narrower and narrower "roads" , mud roads ,

nowhere to turn your car around , bushes and branches and rocks scratching against

your car. So much fun !!

Best way is like the poor locals in the boonies : motorsai !

Then there is no power , or power cuts , no water ...or your own well .

Internet & phone >> 3g if you're lucky.

............................................................................................................................................

and if you make enemies with any of the locals you will be in a living hell

also,,

- street dogs

- loud music at 4 or 5 am

- temple (inaudible) dribble from the megaphones at the crack of dawn

- you are the only foreigner in the village

- run out of milk, oh wait, Thais don't drink milk, Tescos a 40km round trip

There's more i'm sure other members will fill the gaps.

Solitude sucks

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Eventually I would like to find a house outside town, but I was wondering what it's like to live 5-10km away from everything.

Also, does anyone have recommendations for good areas? I wouldn't mind being too far away from 700 YS for the pool.

Reading is a skill, but I think this means '5-10km from town'. Not 5-10km from the nearest farm. Also because of the second line above, which probably means 'wouldn't mind being NOT too far away from the stadium' (or any good pool, presumably)

10km from town is nothing. That's a 10-15 minute drive to the moat unless it's morning or afternoon rush hour, and a lot of the malls and hypermarkets will be closer, still.

At the rate that Chiang Mai is growing, in a couple more years a 10km distance from the old town will be considered part of the city. (Roughly everything inside/close to the Outer Ring.)

So yes, in that definition, the majority of people on this forum live in the boonies. Among younger people, relatively more live in town, Nimman area, etc. but even in that demographic about half live at least 5-10kms away.

It's also worth noting that if you live 'in town' in the Canal Road area around Huay Kaew / Nimman, then you're going to take longer to drive to Thapae Gate than I do, coming from Hang Dong. (Unless at night)